Foot exercising apparatus



Dec. 20, 1966 A1055 3,292,612

FOOT EXERCI SING APPARATUS Filed D80. 10. 1963 United States Patent3,292,612 FOOT EXERCISING APPARATUS Arne Foss, Etterstadsletta 29 c,Oslo, Norway Filed Dec. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 329,546 Claims priority,application Norway, Dec. 19, 1962, 146,870 Claims. (Cl. 128-25) Thepresent invention relates to a foot exercising apparatus for influencingand strengthening certain muscles, ligaments etc. In walking, thetendency is to roll the forefoot inwardly so as to bring theweight-bearing point closer to the ball of the great toe producing whatis commonly termed flat foot.

The object of the present invention is to counteract or eliminate thisinward turning of the foot by producing a substantially simultaneous andequal support for both balls of the foot and at the same time supportthe outer margin of the middle portion of the foot adjacent the ball ofthe little toe.

According to the invention thfs is attained by means of an apparatuscomprising a plane, normally horizontal plate adapted to support theforefoot, which plate is mounted laterally rock-able about alongitudinal axis on a base member which extends rearwardly of saidplate and is provided with a raised portion to support the heel, and asolid supporting pad projecting upwardly from the base member at therear edge of the rockable plate and adapted to support the outer marginof the middle portion of the foot.

The apparatus may be fastened to the foot, inserted into a shoe, orconstituted as a unit in which two plate members for each of the feetare mounted side by side for use in a gymnasium or the like.

The invention will be hereinafter more fully described with reference tothe drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line IIII in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an apparatus for each of thefeet assembled to a unit.

FIG. 4 is a schematic, plan view of a shoe having an apparatus accordingto the invention mounted therein, and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View along the line V-V in FIG. 4.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is designed for a single foot andcomprises a rigid, plane plate adapted to support the forefoot of a footF. The plate 1 on the under side thereof is provided with a rail 2secured, such as by welding, in the longitudinal middle plan of theplate, which rail is provided with a head 3 having circularcross-section. The head 3 is rockably supported in a correspondinggroove 4 formed in the upper side of a base plate 5 so that the supportplate 1 is laterally rockable about the axis of the rail head 3.

The base plate 5 extends rearwardly of the plate 1 and has securedthereto a raised portion 6 having a plane upper surface which is levelwith the upper surface of the plate 1 and serves to support the heel ofthe foot, Between the plate 1 and the heel support 6 an open room 7 isformed where the foot receives no support.

At the back of the plate 1 and close to the rear edge thereof asupporting pad 8 projects upwardly from the base plate 5 and ispositioned so that it supports the outer margin of the middle foot. Saidpad 8, having its top level with or somewhat above the upper side of theplate 1, may be covered on the upper side with a suitable layer of asoft material, such as foam plastic or the like.

An elastic or resilient member 9, such as a strip of foam plastic or thelike, may be secured, for instance by an adhesive, to the plate 1 or thebase plate 5 at each side of the rocking axis of plate 1 to hold theplate normally in a horizontal position parallel to the ground.

When walking, the weight-bearing points of the forefoot contact therockable plate 1. The ball L of the little toe initially contacts theplate 1' (FIG. 2) and imparts an outwardly rocking movement thereto,whereby the inner portion of the plate 1 is swung upwardly to contactand support the ball S of the great toe so that the weight may betransmitted medially across the forefoot portion to its inner side inthe region of the great toe for the final propelling action of the foot.Simultaneously the pad 8 supports the outer rim portion of the middleportion of the foot and exercises a massage-like effect on this portion.

The apparatus above described may be fastened to the foot and used inwalking.

As shown in FIG. 3 two plates, one for each foot, may be assembled sideby side for exercising in place. In this embodiment of the invention tworock ng plates 1 are mounted side by side on a common base plate 5 withheel support 6', an intermediate open room 7, and supporting pads 8 forthe respective rim portions of the feet, in similar manner as describedin connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. A person standing on the apparatuswith one foot on each of the plates 1, as above described, carries hisbody weight the desired number of times from behind and forwardly in asimilar manner as in walking.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show schematically an apparatus according to the inventionmounted within a shoe. In this embodiment an approximately circularrocking plate 1' by means of a hinge connection 10 is supported rockablyon the sole 11 in connection with a supporting pad 8 positioned as abovedescribed.

The sole 11 may be formed as an insole so that the apparatus may beplaced detachably in footwear.

I claim:

1. In a foot exercising apparatus, the combination of a plane, normallyhorizontal plate member adapted to support the forefoot, a flat,longitudinally extending base member, means supporting said plate memberlaterally rockable on the front end of said base member and about thelongitudinal axis of said base member, a heel supporting surface securedon said base member rearwardly of said plate member and level with theupper surface thereof, and a firm pad projecting upwardly from said basemember at the rear edge of the plate member, adapted to support theouter rim portion of the middle portion of the foot.

2. In a foot exercising apparatus as in claim 1, elastic meansinterposed between said plate member and said base member to retain saidplate member normally in a horizontal position.

3. In a foot exercising apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the base memberis an insole for foot wear.

4. In a foot exercising apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the base memberis a sole of a shoe.

5. In a foot exercising apparatus, the combination of a fiat,longitudinally extending base member, a pair of normally horizontalplate members, each adapted to sup- 3,292,612 3 4 port a forefoot of afoot, means to support said plate References Cited by the Examinermembers laterally rockable in a side by side position on UNITED STATESPATENTS the front end of said base member, the plate members beingrockable about the longitudinal axis of said base 35319 8/1903 Urwickmember, a heel supporting member secured on said base 5 11 71'096 5/1927 5 member rearwardly of said rockable plate members, and a 2769 15211/19 Momer 1 firm pad positioned at the rear edge of each plate memberadapted and positioned to support the outer rim portion RICHARD GAUDETPnmaly Exammer' of the respective middle portions of each foot. L. W.TRAPP, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A FOOT EXERCISING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION OF A PLANE, NORMALLYHORIZONTAL PLATE MEMBER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE FOREFOOT, A FLATLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BASE MEMBER, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID PLATE MEMBERLATERALLY ROCKABLE ON THE FRONT END OF SAID BASE MEMBER AND ABOUT THELONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BASE MEMBER, A HEEL SUPPORTING SURFACE SECUREDON SAID BASE MEMBER REARWARDLY OF SAID PLATE MEMBER AND LEVEL WITH THEUPPER SURFACE THEREOF, AND A FIRM PAD PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID BASEMEMBER AT THE REAR EDGE OF THE PLATE MEMBER, ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THEOUTER RIM PORTION OF THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE FOOT.